I do not know who the previous poster is but would guess it is someone who worked as a teacher at Alcanta Vocational School prior to my arrival here in 2009. As such, I cannot respond to his comments much further than to say that, as a former teacher here, he is likewise entitled to express his own opinion. There have been some changes here in the last several years, however.

At present, Alcanta Vocational School and Alcanta College effectively function as separate schools, and there is no transferring of teachers between the two campuses as I heard there was in the past. Alcanta Vocational School is in Tonghe in the north of Guangzhou, which admittedly felt a bit remote when I began here three years ago, but is now (since 2010) on the subway line six stops from Tiyu Xilu in Tianhe, which definitely makes a difference. I like the school's location next to Baiyun Mountain actually, but yes, it is not in the city center, and it is not the same school as Alcanta College, which has its campus next to the Guangdong University of Foreign Studies.

Some of the students here come to vocational school because they didn't pass the senior-middle-school entrance exam, and some because they want to start working earlier. But yes, the students here are not on a university track and instead will go directly into jobs or on to two-year college degree programs after graduating. I like the students here though, and most of them want to learn. You're going to encounter students who are a "pain" no matter where you go--I don't think the ratio here is any higher than elsewhere.

I personally disagree with the poster's viewpoint that it would be advisable to avoid Alcanta. It seems teachers have had varying experiences here, but mine has mostly been positive, and I believe most teachers teaching here currently would concur. If you are considering working here, certainly take all you read on this page into consideration, but contact me or other teachers, or come see the situation for yourself, before passing final judgment. Thank you.

It is a shame, how "shameless" a lot of crawlers as Foxy rightly put it, become in China, all in pursuit of the mighty red mao and getting one over on their fellow laowai "friends". One must tread carefully nowadays....

You raise a fair point, unity is paramount.

However, most laowai tend to become greedy and self centred, especially after marriage to a female of the chinese species. Ok, not all, but most.

Case in point. A guy I considered a friend, also from England, but married to a gal from the wilds of central china, was relating to me his woes of how his missus is always driving him to earn more, so she can have better and more and so on, and was asking me possible names for a training centre he was considering opening to get her off his back. The sad part is that most western guys upon marrying Chinese gals, especially if they have no roots or ties back home, become in a way, Chinese, and think well, may as well go against the grain and make some easy quid....even if it means cheating out my fellow laowai. This is pretty sickening in my opinion.

I advised him to either further his studies, get a degree and/or CELTA, or just carry on in his online retail business. Cheating chinese parents/students and exploiting fellow laowais is no way to go, but that is just my humble opinion. As for me, I am done with him and his kind, and will try to avoid the grovelling, snivelling sellouts be they married or single.

Just my two mao,
San Migs on Sunday.

The worst of the worst when it comes to groveling weasels are some Chinese teaching assistants. They sell their souls and backstab despite making lousy money! They are really desparate [edited]. [edited]

Hello. My name is Jim, an American man working as the foreign vice principal at Alcanta Vocational School, the school in question here. I have been working here for three years, initially as a regular teacher and more recently in my current position. I only recently saw this message from "Anita" (not her real name), and while she is certainly entitled to express her opinions, I thought I would respond to some of her comments and offer my own perspective--take it for what you will.

Her comment that 5 of 6 teachers were quitting is false--she was the only one who left at that time--that is actually how I know who she is. She was actually dismissed from the school because she requested two weeks' leave during the school term to return to the U.S., was not granted permission and was instead advised to wait until the August vacation time, and then bought her tickets with plans to go anyway, which the school decided violated the contract since teachers are expected to be present and teach during the school term. Of the other 5 full-time English teachers working here at that time, two worked until the completion of their contracts later that year, one was dismissed later that year for repeatedly missing class, and two are still working here. None quit--not even Anita.

Regarding her comment that the school has been through 40 teachers in 5 years, I don't know an exact number, but the turnover rate of teachers here is not particularly high. Currently, I and one other teacher have been here for 3 years, another for 2 years, and another for 1 1/2. Two current teachers whose contracts are about to end are renewing them. The school honors the contract and does its best to treat teachers fairly. While I cannot vouch for 100% satisfaction among the teachers, there is certainly not the widespread discontent that this message implies.

Regarding her being penalized for being late for class, yes, teachers are contractually expected to go to class on time--I think that's reasonable. However, teachers are typically not penalized for lateness until the third infraction, so I don't think this was a first occurrence. One could point to photocopy room inconveniences for her lateness, but she also didn't have to wait until mere minutes before her class to go make needed photocopies--that was her own choice.

She is right that student satisfaction is important at Alcanta, but learning is the primary objective, not just "making sure students are happy". The school wants teachers who can teach well, but teachers are rarely fired due to student dissatisfaction in their teaching, and never without previous warnings. A teacher would be approached and advised accordingly (as was Anita) if such an issue as student complaints arose.

Anita says the contract doesn't hold up to anything, but she was the one who broke it, and she wrote this posting when she was angry that the school was letting her go. I cannot say that Alcanta is perfect or even a great school, but as a teacher, from my 9 years teaching in China, I have found the situation here to be the most agreeable and favorable overall of the different schools where I have taught. So keep that in mind, as well as Anita's words, if you are considering working here. Thank you.

but whatever happened to unity among laowai?

Unity among laowai? don't make me laugh! I guess you're being ironic. Disunity among laowai would be nearer the mark.
And the last time I was at a social event, as it happened at a COMPULSORY university Christmas do I dreaded having to attend, I ended up cursing the indie Yank at the table. There was also an indie Aussie sat there, from a disreputable local agency, and a Chinese teacher. The afternoon had started off badly. It was 17 centigrade below 0 or so. We were assembled outside our apartment block waiting for the coach to arrive, which was supposed to transport us to the hotel. An FAO told us it wouldn't, and to walk to the main university gate. Another broken promise, surprise, surprise! I don't want to go on, as recalling the rest makes me mad. I never want to work at a big university with many FTs ever again. I'm sick of the sight of so many grovelling weasels massed together. But the biggest laugh was when the leader of the ELIC group, Dave, was ostracised by about 8 of his brethren. Tell you why, one of their group had been fired by the university. Guess what for? For having a romantic association with a female Chinese TEACHER. The young lad was half-Chinese, and Dave let the university get away with it! I'd have pulled out all 18 of my flock and gone on strike if I had been him. Without ELIC, they'd have been totally f'ed. They would never get 18 indie FT's like me to teach there in place of them. They'd have backed down for sure.

In terms of quality of life, it mignt well be that that's not so good in big cities in China due to environmental pollution, traffic jams and the general unfriendliness of city dwellers immersed in the rat race. But there is another problem associated with the biggest cities of China, like Shanghai and Changsha, the relatively high preponderance of western grovelling weasels compared to that in smaller cities. Too easy to be replaced if your Chinese employer wishes to dispense with your services before your teaching contract's up.

Yep, Linfen is badly polluted, but not as badly as ten years ago. But as a smoker, I don't mind air pollution from coal. However, one definite plus is it will be relatively free of stingy, self-serving GWs because the salaries of FTs there are average, and there will be few laowai there employed in other areas. As for locals gawking, I can bear that easily, it's no big deal. Linfen is not a big city by Chinese standards, it's just a third-tier one. Never worked there, but visited seven times, only once on visa business, the other times to change trains. Had a look around and a meal near the railway station, for a few hours, while waiting for my next train. Typical Shanxi third-tier city. Didn't see another foreigner during my brief visits. I think the local Chinese in smaller places with few laowai tend to be more friendly to laowai. Maybe it's better to be a big fish in a small pond than a small fish in a big pond. Anyway, I didn't come to China to meet other laowai. For every ten I have met here, maybe only one can be a friend. So, I prefer to avoid them. But that's not what most other laowai in China think. They feel like lost sheep in places bereft of laowai. The laugh is, they might well end up in a quarrel or a fist fight when they happen to meet another loawai in a bar or in a restaurant. People here from the west have different needs and priorities, that's the thing. Oftentimes, they can't be friends because they have little in common. Just look at the bickering on the board among laowai with differing views, that's an example of what I mean!

[Edited by Administrator (admin) Thu, 07 Jul 2011, 06:44 AM]

Jason Lee and Stephen should be hung

Where, perhaps on a bedroom wall? Or do you mean 'hanged'?...LOL! BTW, Guangzhou is one of the dirtiest Chinese cities, and it's infested by grovelling weasels from the West. I wouldn't be seen dead there!

Alcanta have 2 schools. The one on the 245 route is the main campus. The posts are about the one in Tonghe.

i worked here a few years ago and had the same problems. From the post, it obviously hasn't improved. Steer clear. An educational sinkhole.

Is it Alcanta International Kindergarten, Rong Gui Shunde Foshan Sth Guangdong ?